


Only shooting stars break the mold

by TheForestUnderQuarantine



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Shrek Fusion, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Florist Lance (Voltron), Keith is a donkey-dragon human ranger with a crush, Klance Secret Santa 2020, Krolia was a dragon-human, M/M, Ranger Keith, Self-Esteem Issues, Somehow it turned into a quasi-Shrek AU, Texas was a donkey-human
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28300635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheForestUnderQuarantine/pseuds/TheForestUnderQuarantine
Summary: Keith feels, in some ways, cursed by his parentage. His floppy ears and scales keep him separate to the rest of the town. So long as he wears a hood and does his ranger tasks on time, none of the reclusive sect ask any questions.But manoeuvring through town is hard for ones confidence when the townsfolk look at rangers with disdain as it is.Especially when the town's florist looks so kind.Keith doesn't want to experience that look of reject. Doesn't want to have his heartbroken.Would his soulmate accept him?For midnight-in-space for the Klance Secret Santa Gift exchange. I hope you like it!
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Kudos: 68
Collections: Klance Secret Santa





	Only shooting stars break the mold

**Author's Note:**

> For midnight-in-space, for the Klance Secret Santa Exchange. I had loads of fun writing this & kinda wanted to make it into a full longfic full of all of the fantasy tropes, saving princesses & accepting yourself, but alas. I can never stick to longform things. What was asked for was a Soulmates, coffee/flower shops, or Fantasy AU. I combined the 3 and somehow came up with a Shrek fusion. Whoops. It was not intentional. I hope you like Shrek/don't hate me for this! Merry Christmas!

The young man’s skin was smoother and silkier-looking than any of the flowers in his shop. That had been Keith’s first thought upon seeing him tending to the flowers at the front of his store with a dingy watering can and a smile to anyone who happened to walk past. For a peasant, he had some of the best skincare Keith had ever seen. Not that he really paid attention to such frivolous things. But this guy was just—wow. How did he do it. Swamp potion?

Sometimes Keith’s own skin was furry. Other times scaly. Often itchy. Sometimes it was human smooth with scales around the hairline and hands, horns still curved conspicuously over untamed and tangled hair. Keith’s family curse, and the broader context of his family lineage, left him in quite the pickle. He could only observe the humans in a hooded cloak, hands kept closely tucked inside the sleeve, or else walking through in his donkey form. He cursed his family sometimes. His mother a dragon, capable of taking human form. His father a human, cursed to regularly transform into a donkey. How they’d ever made it work was a miracle. But his fuzziest memories told him that they had been in love, before the villagers with their sticks and fires and pitchforks ran his mother out of town. 

His father had, unluckily, been turned into glue one summer, unable to transform back in time. 

He’d been on his lonesome for much too long. His father had helped hatch him. Lay on the giant egg and kept him warm while his mother hunted venison. Now he had to hunt his own. Made sure to only take the sick and the weak. Those close to fences and out of sight. Let the farmers blame the foxes. Sometimes he tried to talk to the sheep. Little overtures of friendship. Bringing them grass and patting through their fur while he told them of his sadness and loneliness. 

His instincts soon put an end to these overtures. Every time, he’d come out of his hunger blind daze to find his muzzle stuck together with gore and his new friend laying on their side, eyes wide, tongue limp. Every time, it was a surprise and heart break. Every time, he’d eat the rest and bury the bones. It was only polite. 

It was why he was so—hesitant—to approach the pretty florist with the fine tan skin and warm smile. Keith didn’t eat human—would never, his instincts called them kin—but he didn’t want to deal with the ‘what ifs.’ That’s why he could only watch. Not that he meant to! He knew it was creepy to watch people. But whenever the young man was out watering his flowers or writing out specials on the board out the front of his store, he couldn’t help but look. Just shy little glances out the corner of his eyes as he wandered through town on official rangering business. 

A few times, the florist had actually looked up to meet his eyes with an unsure smile and a chipper ‘hello’ that Keith had been too tongue-tied to return. He could only stiffly raise his hand. Each time, that little smile on the florist would get a little wider, a lot more cocky. Keith could swear his posture would get more confident. His walk a little more—distractingly—swaying around the hips. Keith’s mouth, always dry with the potential for fire, would get even drier, his cheeks warmed by the flames inside and he’d just huff and walk away. He didn’t understand humans at all.

That was the thing. His lack of socialisation with people made him unsure. Not quite shy. The full dragons Adam and Shiro who had adopted him into their family could attest that he could be an impulsive and cocky little shit, never hesitant to run into a fire fight. But people were just confusing. And dangerous.

He didn’t think the florist would be dangerous in the same way—had seen him sneaking some of his own made carrots and sugar cubes to the horses and bunnies outside, and little bowls of water for the lizards scampering on the rocks outside in his garden—but he was dangerous to Keith in a way that threatened heart palpitations and exposure.   
But today was the day. He was going to do it. Talk to him. 

He adjusted the bouquet of water lilies under his arm. They had been sourced from the rare and untouched by humans pond in the mountain. Moon-light bright and touched by stars. He knew no regular flower would impress this boy. He hoped these would. 

Taking deep breaths, he shook out his hands, the claws feeling like they were tingling. He stimmed in his anxiety, before returning his sleeves over the obviously nonhuman appendages. Kicked at a can of beans that had been left rusted and unopened on the path to the store. 

Keith was grateful that while the flower-shop was in town, it was on the outskirts. He always feared walking through town. Didn’t like all the stares that came with the ranger’s uniform. No other ranger stopped him, although they would nod in his direction. They knew he had undertaken dangerous missions for the Crown. Dared not ask questions. But he feared even those taciturn people would ask questions if they saw his tail. Or a claw peaking under a sleeve. So it was best to avoid the main roads and streets. 

The shop was painted a calming blue, with seashells decorating around the entryway. He needed all the calm he could get as he stumbled over his own feet to get there. Succulents were out the front today. Keith liked succulents. Hardy. Could survive dry weather. Even he could care for them. He touched one as no one else was around, liking the red rim around the bright green leaf. Getting stronger on neglect was his motto.

The florist was not outside today. Good. This gave him time to get his heart under control. Stroked the plant. Accidentally scratched it with his claw and winced as the green-white liquid blood of the succulent seeped out. His bad. 

“Alright, alright my lovely plants, how are we doing this morning. Your Lancey-Lance is here with all your morning nutrition and water needs—”

Keith couldn’t do it. His ears had picked up on the loud, vibrant man before he had even come through the door, bouncing the frame off his upper thigh as he came out with his watering can and a bottle of plant feed. 

To avoid turning into an ass in front of him, Keith turned into a donkey. The flowers dropped to the ground, crumpled under hoof as he morphed into his most animal form.  
Lance blinked as he took in the day’s sunny morning rays. There was a donkey on his doorstep. Cute, fly-bitten and eating his succulents with what looked like a nervous disposition as it whinnied and snorted at him.

“Why hello. Stop that,” he batted the large snout away from his plants before giving it a long stroke, appreciating the coarse fur. “What are you doing on my doorstep—” he gave a quick ones-over. “Boy? I think? Ohh you have a little ranger cape on your back. Are you with a ranger? They’re SO dreamy. I am but a humble town militia volunteer and resident flower boy, and I wish I had all their moves. They’re SO brave! Like to go beyond the walls of town? I would love to do that myself one day. But my family is here, y’know? And it’s risky to move between towns. Which is such a shame,” he sighed. “I’d really love to see the ocean one day.”

Keith was surprised. He smelt like ocean, skin bathed in sea breeze. Was he some unknown water nymph? A fae trapped in human form? Or just magical?

“Actually,” the young man was looking over his shoulder, eagerly. “I could feel my soul-mark itching earlier. You have a soul donkey yourself? Of course not. That would be silly. I think only humans get them. My sis, she’s a scholar, Vero—she says it’s anthropo—anthropocentiped—anthropocentipod? Or something. That definitely isn't it. Like we humans are dumb and can only think of animals in human terms when your thoughts are all your own. Like probably a lot calmer than mine. And just focused on simple things like food and what’s immediately in front of you—”

Beautiful. Something beautiful was in front of him. 

“And not get all caught up in insecurities and racing thoughts like I do. I tell ya, donk, you probably have things more sorted out than I do. Oh, what’s that—”

Lance gasped, seeing the lilies peaking out from the crumpled bouquet wrapping. As if in a trance, but still polite, he moved donkey-Keith away, before picking up the trampled flowers. “Where did you get these, boy?” He put his nose, a little sweet, upturned thing, into the collection and took a whiff, a blissed-out expression painting his features. “Wow.”  
A gentle, relaxed smile curled on his face. All the anxiety and tension previously worked up onto his face eased out. “Such a romantic donkey, huh.” He batted the bouquet against Keith’s head. Keith whinnied and his large ears flickered in annoyance. 

“Man, I’d love if someone would come sweep me off my feet with something like these,” he said. Something sad had crept into his voice and Keith mentally prayed he would take another whiff to go back to how happy he was. With great sadness, Lance tucked the bouquet into the ranger cloak on his back. “Your master clearly didn’t wrap this up safely enough. This is where saddles and saddlebags come in handy, but nooo your owner clearly has to go bareback. On a donkey! Fool.” Lance flinched. “Don’t … don’t tell him I said that, yeah? … Well you’re a donkey, I guess you can’t, but I didn’t mean it. That was mean. I don’t think I could even afford a donkey, no less a saddle. All I have is this lovely little store. But nobody really wants to buy flowers when a country’s gearing up for war.”

Lance hugged himself. “Sorry for rambling. I guess before I opened the door I kind of had this fantasy that my soulmate would just be standing there. Ready to whisk me away like some fairytale prince to an adventure where I could kick butt and be useful and wanted.”

Keith wanted. So much. His enlarged donkey heart felt even heavier, but he was too mortified to switch back in front of him. He knew, too, that the man in front of him was useful. Clearly he loved his family. Cared for plants and animals. Cared for his town enough to defend it when the time came. He wanted to know the man more, to better tell him how amazing and worthy he was. 

But he knew transforming back into his humanoid form would disturb the man and have him run off, no matter how brave he was.

All Keith could do was nuzzle into his hand. Butt against his cheek when Lance went to scratch behind his ear. His tail flicked in contentment.

“I don’t really feel comfortable leaving you unsupervised outside by yourself. Do you mind if I find some rope? Oh, I think I have a horse bridle with some reins attached. My nephew Sylvio is being taught how to ride, how amazing is that? But yeah, you should just sit tight until—man, you have such pretty eyes! I have NEVER seen a donkey with purple eyes before. Is it a mutation? Trick of the light?” 

Lance looked down and blushed. “This is kinda daggy, but they remind me of this one cute ranger who sometimes comes into town. Well, I say cute but he’s my most loathed and detested rival, really. I’ve never seen his face properly, but his eyes—man, his eyes. I can see them through his hood and they are the most soulful things I have ever seen. Like galaxies—and just the grumpy way he holds himself make my heart all aflutter and my soulmark tingle. I’m not sure if he’s just shy or if he’s just an asshole. I’ve tried saying hi so many times, but he always gets extra stiff and grumpy and walks off with not even a word. So rude. I’ll impress him one day! Get him saying hi to me and like actually acknowledge me beyond an embarrassed raise of the hand. I hope he’s not my soulmate. Imagine having a soulmate who didn’t want to talk to you. It’s too sad. But, if he is my soulmate, I guess it could be so much worse. His eyes, while grumpy, are kind.”

Keith looked down at his own hooves too.

“Hey, why the longface? I’m the one with girl and boy troubles here,” he laughed and rubbed at the whirlpool-like change in hair direction on his forehead. He looked down the road. “I really hope your owner gets here soon. I mean I’d love to adopt you, but money is short. I don’t know if I could get you the nicest quality hay or whatever that you deserve. But for sure, I’d try.”

His hands stroked down his neck. “Your heart’s mighty and beating fast. I’ll get you some water and a harness so you don’t run off, hold tight.”

With great reluctance, hand running over the bouquet and grasping at a lily to smell before he carefully put it back, Lance parted from him to go back into his shop. “You. Stay. Stay right there, I’ll be right back.” He dashed inside.

Keith sighed. Knew in his heart of hearts that he couldn’t and that he’d have to act fast. His transformation was swift. Accompanied by the whirring of light and magic as he was suddenly a dragon-man again, mostly covered by his cloak which he adjusted around his shoulders. Sighing, he put his hood back over his horns. Best to hide himself away. Maybe he could try again tomorrow. 

He moved to leave and found himself once again stepping on the sad and mistreated lilies. Sighing, he acted fast, hoping Lance would not begrudge him for either his handwriting or erasure of the words on the board. 

When Lance returned, he damn near dropped the bridle in alarm. 

“I told him to stay,” he said, running his hands frantically through his hair as he looked for the donkey he had left behind. He found muddy hoofprints on the doorstep, but there were human footprints over some of them, and only human seemed to walk away. Strange. But maybe the owner had found his new friend. He hoped so, anyway. He was too out of it from the strange encounter to think too hardly on the matter. Just sent out a pray for the donkey’s safety. A thank you no one had come wanting roses to find himself pouring out his heart to an ass on his doorstep. It was both amusing and strange, how safe and overcome with emotions he’d been to say so much. Perhaps he really should adopt the blue barn cat who hunted the mice in his garden … 

He could smile and laugh at the absurdity. It had not been seen. No one would take him away to a penitentiary. 

He watched the sky, happy at the expanse of blue that made the air as close to the ocean as he would ever see. He was unaware he was being watched himself.

He did not see the small ‘that’s enough, that’ll do’ smile that etched into the hooded dragon’s scarred face as he stumbled upon the bouquet. He was too busy gasping and going wide-eyed at the simple message on the board, written with the chalk left on the bannister in thin, shaky handwriting.

“For you. You are prettier than any flower. Starlight.”

Keith walked away, clenching his clawed fists. Maybe he’d try to say hello tomorrow. Maybe it was a fool’s errand. But, maybe for today, Lance felt appreciated.

And judging from the blush and disbelieving smile gracing the princely peasant’s expression, he was appreciated too.


End file.
